Pin control for web folding machines



0v 1, 149 BEsHOP PIN CONTROL FOR WEB FOLDING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1947 lNVENTOR. NATHANIEL BISHOP BY WM H/S ATTORNEYS.

NOV, 3 N gggHgp $486,703

PIN CONTROL FOR WEB FOLDING MACHINES Filed March 13, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEN TOR. NATHANIEL BISHOP H/5 ATTORNEYS.

Nov, it '19., N. BISHOP PIN CONTROL FOR WEB FOLDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1947 INVENTOR.

NATHANIEL. BISHOP H/S ATTORNfYS Patented Nov. 1, 1949 PIN CONTROL FOR MAC New York WEB FOLDING HINES Nathaniel Bishop, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to 7 Time, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,411 9 Claims. (01. 270-71) The present invention relates to web folding apparatus and more particularly to new and improved pin control mechanism for use in such apparatus.

In automatic web folding apparatus, pins on a revolving cylinder are usually employed to transfer the web from one cylinder to another. These pins are extended and retracted periodically as the cylinder on which they are mounted revolves. Heretofore, mechanical means such as cams, for example, actuated in timed relation to the rotation of the cylinders, have been used to extend and retract the pins. It has also been proposed to use electromagnetic means for operating the pins at the proper time. Both types of apparatus have been used with good results at relatively low operating speeds.

The principal object of this invention is to provide new and improved folder pin control apparatus-that will operate effectively at relatively highspeeds.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved folder pin control apparatus of the above character which includes a minimum number of parts and in which the masses of the moving parts are small whereby high speed operation may be effected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved folder pin control apparatus of the above character which has adjustable mechanism for varying both the time of operation and the duration of operation of the folder pin means.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved folder pin control apparatus of the above character in which a low mass solenoid is employed to operate pin means and quick acting electrical circuit means is provided for energizing and deenergizing the solenoid.

Inaccordance with the invention, folder pin control apparatus is provided in which the pins on a revolving cylinder are actuated by means of a solenoid having parts of minimum mass so that the pins may be actuated with a minimum current flow through the solenoid. In order to effect rapid operation of the solenoid, the latter is preferably energized from a condenser connected to a suitable source of electrical energyand to switching means operated in time relation to the revolving cylinder. It will be understood that when a charged condenser is suddenly connected to a solenoid, a relatively high current flows instantaneously when the connection is made. By virtue of this construction, extremely high speeds or operation may be attained,

Control of both the time of operation and duration of operation of the pins is effected, according to the invention, by means including novel circuit making and breaking means connected in circuit with the pin actuating means. The circuit making and breaking means may comprise, for example, a commutator rotated in time relation with the cylinder carrying the folder pins, and having a conducting segment thereon adapted to be engaged by an adjustable contact. This contact is adjustable both peripherally and longitudinally of the commutator and the shape of the conducting segment is such that the time of operation and the duration of operation of the pin means can be controlled by adjusting the contact peripherally or longitudinally, respectively, of the rotating commutator.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from'the following detailed description of several representative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an elementary control system constructed according to the present invention; v

Figure 2 is a partial enlarged view in section of the cylinder shown in Figure 1, illustrating an electromagnetic pin operating device for folding apparatus, constructed according to the present invention; I

Figure 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention utilizing a circuit including a hard electronic tube; and

Figure 4 is a further modification of the invention employing a circuit including a pair of gas triodes,

-While a plurality of pins are generally employed in folding apparatus, it will be sumcient for the purposes of illustration to consider in the following description only one pin and an operating circuit therefor, keeping in mind that the invention is not limited to a single pin system. Web folding mechanism of this general character is disclosed in the copending application of Harry W. Faeoer, Serial No. 631,329, filed November 28, 1945, now matured into Patent No. 2,435,881, February 10, 1948, for Web folding mechanism," and it will not be necessary to include a detailed description of such mechanism herein.

Referring now to Figure 1, a conventional folder cylinder I0 is shown mounted for rotation upon a shaft ll. Secured to the surface of the cylinder I0 is a folder pin mechanism 12 which may be of the type illustrated in Figure 2 and described in greater detail hereinafter. The pin mechanism I2 comprises, for example, a pin I3 adapted to be actuated by means of a solenoid I4 which is connected by conductors I5 and IE to slip rings I1 and I8, respectively, secured on the shaft II and insulated therefrom. The slip rings I1 and I8 are engaged by brushes I9 and 20, respectively. The brush I9 is connected by a conductor 2| to an adjustable contact 22 engaging a commutator 23. The commutator 23 has a conducting segment 24 of substantially triangular shape as shown in the figure, surrounded by suitable insulating material 26, and it is mounted on a shaft 21 which is adapted to be rotated in time relation to the shaft II in any suitable manner as by conventional belting or gearing (not shown), for example.

In order to enable both the time of operation and the duration of operation of the pin I3 to 'be controlled the contact 22 is mounted so as to be adjustable both longitudinally and peripherally of the commutator 23. This may be accomplished, for example, by mounting the contact 22 on a clamp I which is slidable longitudinally of the commutator 23 along a guide IN, the contact 22 being suitably insulated from the clamp I00. The guide I M may be secured at one end thereof to a clamp I02 which is slidable peripherally of the commutator 23 along a guide I03. The contact 22 may be located in any desired position with respect to the commutator 23 by proper adjustment of the clamps I00 and I02 and may be maintained fixed in that position by any suitable means as, for example, the set screws I04 and I05.

With the foregoing construction, it will be understood that the time of operation of the pin I3 can be advanced (assuming counter-clockwise rotation for the commutator 23) by moving the contact 22 peripherally in the clockwise direction with respect to the commutator 23, and can be retarded by moving the contact 22 peripherally in the counter-clockwise direction Similarly the duration of operation of the pin I3 can be increased by moving the contact 22 longitudinally away from the guide I03 and can be decreased by moving the contact 22 longitudinally toward the guide I03.

'The brush 20 engaging the slip ring I0 is connected by a conductor 28 to a terminal 29 of a condenser 30, the other terminal 3| of which is connected to a brush 32 engaging a conventional type slip ring 33 on the commutator 23, which is electrically connected to the conducting segment 24. The condenser 30 is adapted to be charged by means of a battery or other suitable source of electrical energy 34, one pole of which is connected to the terminal 3I and the other pole of which is connected in series with a resistor 35 to the terminal 29, as shown.

Considering now Figure 2, the electromagnetic pin operating device I2 is shown secured to the underface of the cylinder I0 in any suitable manner as by means of the supports 31 and 38. The

pin operating device I2 comprises a substantially cylindrical member 39 made of any suitable magnetic material and having a hollow, central bushing 40 through which extends a thin driving rod 4|, to the upper end of which is secured the pin I3. The .pin I3 is adapted to be extended through an opening 43 formed in the wall of the cylinder I0, as shown. The lower end of the driving rod H is secured to a relatively light armature 44 made of magnetic material which extends through an opening 45 in the bottom wall 46 of the cylindrical member 39 and which has a flat head 41 4 at the bottom thereof. Preferably, the opening should be provided with a lining 45a of nonmagnetic material to insure free movement of the armature 44. The flat head 41 of the armature 44 is adapted to rest on a backstop 48 which is secured to the bottom 400i the cylindrical member 39 in any suitable manner, as by means of the screw 49, as shown. It will be understood that the cylindrical member 39, the bushing 40, the armature 44 and the air gap between the bushing 40 and the armature 44 constitute the magnetic circuit of the device.

The armature 44 is normally maintained in its lowermost position by means of a compression spring 50, the upper end of which rests against the lower face of the bottom member 40 of the cylindrical member 39 and the lower end of which is seated on the flat head 41 of the armature 44. The central bushing 40 forms a core on which is wound the solenoid I4, one end of which is connected to the terminal 52 and the other end of which is connected to the terminal 53.

When electrical energy is supplied to the terminals 52 and 53, the solenoid I4 is energized causing the armature 44 to be suddenly pulled up against the compression spring towards the core 40, thus extending the pin I3 out beyond the surface of the cylinder I0 and into a fold of a folded web in the conventional manner and closing the air gap in the magnetic circuit. When the solenoid I4 is deenergized, the compression spring 50 causes the armature 44 and the components connected thereto to be moved downwardly until the flat head 41 of the armature 44 again rests on the backstop 48.

In operation of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the commutator 23 is driven in time relation with the shaft II such that the solenoid I4 will be energized at the proper place to extend the pin into the folded web and subsequently to withdraw it therefrom. To this end, proper adjustment of the relative position of the contact 22 with respect to the conducting segment 24 is made, as described in greater detail hereinbefore, When the contact 22 engages the conducting segment 24, the voltage across the condenser 30 is impressed on the solenoid I4 and a very high current flows instantaneously, which drops off to a steady state value. The steady state current is limited by the resistor 35 which is in series with the battery 34, and it is of sufficient magnitude to keep the pin I3 extended so long as the contact 22 is in engagement with the conducting commutator segment 24. By virtue of the relatively low mass of the moving parts of the pin operating device, the pin I3 is moved instantaneously into the pinning position, into a fold of the web. After the cylinder I0 has rotated sufficiently to pass the folded web to the next cylinder, the contact 22 is moved out of engagement with the conducting segment '24 and the source of voltage 34 is disconnected from the solenoid I4.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment shown in Figure 1 of the drawings may impose a very heavy current load on the contact 22 and the conducting segment 24. In order to avoid this condition, an electronic circuit including a hard vacuum tube may be employed to energize the solenoid as shown in Figure 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, an electrically controlled folder pin operating device I2 of the type shown in Figure 2 is secured to the undersurface of the cylinder III, as shown.

. 'to one end of a resistor 83.

The solenoid i4 is connected to the slip rings l1 and II by the conductors l and I8, respectively, and the brushes i8 and 28, respectively, engage the slip rings H and II. The brush I8 is connected through a conductor 54 to the plate electrode 55 of a conventional hard electronic tube 58, such as a triode, for example. A resistor 51 and a source of negative bias voltage 88 are connected in series between the control grid 58 and the cathode 58 of the triode 58. The upper end of the resistor 51 is also connected to the brush 32 of the commutator 23. The contact 22 is connected by a conductor 85 to a point 85 on the battery 34 which is sufficiently positive with respect to the cathode 58 of the triode 55 to overcome the negative bias supplied by the battery 58 when the contact 22 engages the commutator conducting segment 24.

The solenoid i4 is adapted to be energized by means of the condenser 38 which is connected between the cathode 58 of the triode 58 and one end of the current limiting resistor 85. The

- condenser 88 is adapted to be charged by means 'cause plate current to flow in the plate circuit thereof. when the tube 58 becomes conducting,

a relatively high current is discharged through the solenoid M from the condenser 38. After the initial inrush of current from the condenser 38 has fallen oil, a steady current is supplied from the battery 34, the magnitude of which is controlled by the current limiting resistor 35, to

' conducting segment 24, the control grid 58 of :the tube 28 is again biased negatively by the biasing battery 88 so that the plate 55 no longer conducts current and the solenoid I4 is deenergiaed. 'This results in the retraction of the pin i3 within the cylinder l8 in the manner described above in connection with Figure 2.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4 which utilizes gas tubes for energizing and deenergizing the solenoid l4. In this embodiment, the brush 32 on the commutator 23 is connected by a conductor 5| to the positive pole of a source of voltage 82 which may be a battery, for example, the other pole of which is connected The other end of the resistor 53 is connected by a conductor 84 to the contact 22 on the commutator 23. The voltage appearing across the resistor 83 is fed through a differentiating circuit comprising the condenser 85 and the resistor 85, which produces positive and negative pulses when the commutator 28 makes and breaks the circuit, respectively. The pulses appearing across the resistor 85 are impressed on the control gridl'l of a conventional type triode 88.

Plate voltage for the plate electrode 63 of the triode 88 is supplied from a suitable plate supply 83a, the negative terminal of which is grounded at l8 and the positive terminal of which is connected through a plate resistor II to the plate electrode 88 of the triode 58. The output appearing across the plate resistor H is fed through a D. C. blocking condenser 12 and a resistor 13 to the control grid 14 of a conventional type gas tube 15. A second output of opposite phase appearing across the cathode resistor 18 of the triode 88 is fed through a D. C. blocking condenser TI and a. resistor I8 to the control grid I8 of a second conventional gas tube 88. The resistors 18 and I8 serve to prevent parasitic oscillations and instability in the circuits of gas triodes 15 and 88, respectively.

Grid resistors 8| and 82 are supplied for the gas tubes 15 and 88, respectively, and negative bias for the control grids I4 and 18, respectively, of the tubes 15 and 88, respectively, is provided by a biasing battery 83. The negative terminal of the battery 83 is. connected to the common point 84 between resistors 8| and 82 and its positive terminal is connected to ground at the point 85. Plate voltage for the gas tube 15 is supplied by a battery 88, the negative terminal of which is grounded at the point 85 and the positive terminal of which is connected to the plate 89 of the gas tube 15 through the resistor 88 which has a condenser 8| in parallel with it. The plate electrode 92 of the gas tube 88 is also connected to the positive terminal of the battery 88 through the current limiting resistor 35, the slip rings l1 and I8 on the shaft ll of the cylinder l8, and the solenoid winding l4. The discharge condenser 38 is connected to the cathode 81 of the gas tube 88 and to the lower end of the current limiting resistor as shown. A condenser 84 is connected from the plate 88 of the gas tube I5 to the plate 82 of the gas tube 88 which serves to blow out the gas tube 88 when the contact 22 moves out of engagement with the conducting segment 24 on the commutator 23, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

In operation of the system illustrated in Figure 4, when the contact 22 engages the conducting segment 24 of the commutator 23, the potential at point X with respect to ground rises to a value approximately equal to the voltage of battery 82. This potential is maintained until the contact 22 disengages the conducting segment 24, at which time the potential .at point X drops to zero. By the differentiating action of condenser 85 and resistor 86, the voltage appearing across resistor 86, which is connected to control grid 81 of triode 88, is transformed into positive pulses for the make of contact 22 and negative pulses for the break.

The application of a positive pulse to the control grid 18 of the gas tube 88 when the contact 22 engages the conducting segment 24 of the commutator 23 causes the tube 88 to-fire and discharges the condenser 38 through the solenoid H in the manner described above. When the contact 22 moves out of engagement with the conducting segment 24 so that the circuit is broken, a negative pulse is applied to the control grid 18 of the gas tube 88 and at the same time a positive pulse is applied to the control grid 14 of the gas tube I5 so that the latter tube fires. The firing of the gas tube 15 causes a negative'voltage to build up on the condenser 84 which is impressed upon the plate electrode 82 of the gas tube 88 so that the latter tube is quickly extinguished.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the invention provides a speedy and highly effective folder pin control mechanism. By utilizing a solenoid having moving parts of very low mass and by energizing the solenoid from a condenser connected in suitable electrical circuits, extremely rapid operation of the pin may be effected so that it may be very quickly extended into a fold or withdrawn therefrom at the proper instant of time.

It will be understood that additional pins and controls therefor may be provided according to the invention, as required. Further, the specific circuit and components may be modified within the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While several representative embodiments have been described in detail above, the invention is not intended to be limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, an electrical condenser for energizing said solenoid means, electrical circuit means connecting said condenser to said solenoid, a source of electrical energy connected to said condenser for imparting energy thereto, and contact means operated in time relation to said cylinder for controlling the connections between said solenoid means and said condenser to enable the discharge of condenser energy into the solenoid.

2. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, an electrical condenser for energizing said solenoid means, a source of electrical energy connected to said condenser for imparting electrical energy thereto, and an electrical circuit including making and breaking means operated in time relation to said cylinder for controlling the discharge of electrical energy to said solenoid means from said condenser.

3. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, a source of electrical energy for said solenoid means, an electrical condenser connected across said source of electrical energy for extracting energy therefrom, circuit interrupting means connected in series with said condenser and solenoid, and, means for operating said circuit interrupting means in time relation with said cylinder to enable the discharge of said condenser into said solenoid.

4. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, a source of electrical energy for said solenoid means, an electrical condenser connected across said source of electrical energy to become charged thereby, an electronic tube havinga plate circuit connected in series with said condenser and solenoid means and having a control grid, means for biasing said control grid so that the current in said plate circuit is insufficient to operate said solenoid means, and means operated in time relation to said cylinder for changing the bias applied to said control grid to actuate said solenoid means by enabling the discharge of said condenser through the connected across said source of electrical energy, an electronic tube having a plate circuit connected in series with said condenser and solenoid means, and having a control grid, means for biasing said control grid negatively so that the current in said plate circuit is insuflicient to operate said solenoid means, a source of positive voltage. and circuit making and breaking means operated in time relation with said cylinder for intermittently impressing positive voltage from said source on said control grid to reduce the negative bias thereon and actuate said solenoid means by enabling the discharge of said condense! through said solenoid means.

6. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotary folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, a source of electrical energy for said solenoid means, an electrical condenser connected to said source of electrical energy and adapted to be charged thereby, a gas tube having a plate circuit connected in series with said condenser and solenoid means and having a control grid, pulse generating means operated in time relation with said cylinder for supplying pulses to said control grid to render said gas tube conducting to permit said condenser to discharge through said solenoid, and electrical means for extinguishing said gas tube in time relation with said cylinder.

7. Pin control mechanism for web folding apparatus comprising a rotary folder cylinder, a pin adapted to be extended from and retracted into said cylinder, solenoid means for actuating said pin, a source of electrical energy for said solenoid means, an electrical condenser connected to said source of electrical energy and adapted to be charged thereby, a first gas tube having a plate circuit connected in series with said condenser and solenoid means and having a control grid, 9. second gas tube having a plate circuit connected in parallel with said condenser and having a control grid, a resistor in the plate circuit of said second tube, a condenser connected to the plate electrodes of said first and second gas tubes, an electrical pulse forming circuit including a source of electrical energy, a resistance and circuit interrupting means operated in time relation with said cylinder, an electrical circuit for differentiating voltage pulses produced across said resistance, and electronic tube'means responsive to the output of said differentiating circuit for supplying alternate positive and negative pulses of opposite phase to the control grids of said first and second gas tubes, thereby intermittently enabling the condenser to discharge through said solenoid.

8. In a folder pin control system, the combination of a cylinder having an opening therein, a. tubular member of magnetic material secured within said cylinder, said tubular member having a top closure member and a bottom closure member provided with an aperture therein, a core extending from said top closure member to within a short distance of said bottom closure member, a winding on said core, means forming a bore extending longitudinally through said top closure member and said core, a rod extending through said bore, a pin secured at the upper end of said rod, an armature secured at the lower end of said rod and extending through said aperture in the bottom closure member, stop means for limiting movement of said armature through the bottom closure member, and means normally urging said armature against said stop means.

- 10 9. In a folder pin control system the combina- REFERENCES CITED tion of a cylinder having an opening there 11, magnetic circuit means secured within said cylinder g figmz m or record m the and having a core and an air gap, a winding on said core, an armature disposed in said air gap, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS means forming a bore in said core, a. rod in said Number Name Date bore and secured at one end to said a a p 1,582,217 Henry Apr, 27, 1926 means secured to the other end f aid rod and 1,793,989 Barr Feb. 24, 1931 adapted to be extended throu h and w t dr 1,835,466 Carroll Dec. 8, 1931 from said opening-in the cylinder, and mean n r- 10 1,878,404 Kahn Sept. 20, 1932 mally retaining said pin means in the wi hdrawn 2,089,342 Conover Aug. 10, 1937 position. 2,389,458 Preston Nov. 20, 1945 2,403,394 Preston July 2, 1946 NATHANIEL BISHOP- 2,435,881 Faeber Feb. 10, 1948 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,486,703 November 1, 1949 NATHANIEL BISHOP It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 7, line 4, for the Word circuit read circuits; line 73, for retraced read retracted;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,486,703 November 1, 1949 NATHANIEL BISHOP It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 7, line 4, for the Word circuit read circuits; line 73, for retraced read retracted;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssioner of Patents. 

